OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY

Research for occupational therapy

Papers an occupational therapist can act on, across daily living, mental health, hand therapy, paediatrics and rehabilitation, each read in full rather than from its abstract.

10,853 PAPERS · PAGE 127 OF 218 · NEWEST FIRST

• OTOther2023Sensory Processing and Autistic Traits: Mediation Effect of Frontal Alpha Asymmetry.Occupational therapy internationalIn 73 neurotypical adults, sensation avoiding predicted autistic traits directly and indirectly through relative right-sided cortical activity. This brain pattern partially mediated the link, suggesting withdrawal motivation may underpin how sensory avoidance relates to autistic features.
• OTQualitative2023Losing Life's Sparkle: Experiences of Canadian Choral Musicians During the COVID-19 Pandemic.Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapieChoral musicians reported that pandemic restrictions turned music-making into a source of fear and isolation. Masks and distancing blocked the social connection and audience feedback they rely on for mental health and identity, making rehearsals feel unsatisfying and disconnected.
• OTOther2023Enhancing Telehealth Competency: Development and Evaluation of Education Modules for Older Adults.OTJR : occupation, participation and healthOlder adults who completed custom telehealth training modules reported feeling more competent and confident using video visits. The study measured self-perception, not actual skill, so results indicate increased confidence rather than proven ability.
• PTOTPilot2023Reliability, Validity and Minimal Detectable Change of a Power Leg Press Test in Individuals with Cerebral Palsy.Physical & occupational therapy in pediatricsA modified leg press test reliably measures leg power in children and adults with cerebral palsy. To detect true change, average peak power must improve by more than 10.7% in adults or 19% in children. This test takes 15 minutes and costs about $6,500.
• OTSurvey2023Telehealth Utilization Among Occupational Therapists in Oncology: Results From a National Survey.OTJR : occupation, participation and healthMost oncology OTs believed telehealth was a good idea for treatments and consultation, but only 4% reported actually using it. They saw it as best for education, quality of life, and psychosocial support, while preferring in-person care for hands-on physical treatment.
• PTOTOther2023Implementation of best practice goal-setting in five rehabilitation services: A mixed-methods evaluation study.Journal of rehabilitation medicineGoal-setting changed unevenly across 5 rehabilitation services. Sites 1 and 2 improved common goals and gave clients written goals, but client-centeredness barely changed and specificity decreased by 3 months.
• OTSLPOther2023Consistency between parent report and direct assessment of development in toddlers with autism spectrum disorder and other delays: Does sex assigned at birth matter?Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchOverall, parent report and direct testing did not differ for language and fine motor skills; in matched diagnostic groups, parents reported lower receptive language and fine motor skills, and expressive language agreement differed by sex assigned at birth in autism.
• OTOther2023To be or not to be stressed: Designing autonomy to reduce stress at work.Work (Reading, Mass.)Forcing employees to stop working was linked to higher self-reported stress than leaving them free to decide. In a small scenario experiment, a message about lost leisure time produced stress similar to no intervention.
• PTOTSystematic Review2023Evidence for 24-hour posture management: A scoping review.The British journal of occupational therapyThe evidence base for 24-hour posture management is weak, with no randomised trials. However, the literature consistently supports its use to prevent body shape distortion and secondary health complications in people who cannot move independently.
• OTQualitative2023Appearance between professionalism and work-related stress among marketing employees.Work (Reading, Mass.)Marketing employees described appearance as a stressful, unspoken demand that they manage alone. Women reported greater stress from balancing professionalism with attractiveness and youth, while physical activity served as a key resource for coping with work pressure.
• OTSurvey2023Perception of COVID-19 Impact on Canadian Occupational Therapy Curricula: Academic and Fieldwork.Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapieCanadian OT faculty reported pandemic shifts to online learning hurt interpersonal skills and informal engagement, but boosted telepractice readiness. Hands-on skills like splinting were largely unaffected. These are faculty perceptions of curriculum changes, not measured patient outcomes.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2023Effectiveness of a rehabilitation professional's advice and suggestions on a care manager's self-assessment scores of their care management.Journal of physical therapy scienceCare managers who had received advice from rehabilitation professionals rated their own care management skills higher than those who had not. The association was strongest for joint home visits and weakest for community care conferences. Self-assessment does not prove patient outcomes improved.
• OTSurvey2023Organizational and psychosocial environmental work factors associated with self-rated exhaustion disorder among municipal employees in rural northern Sweden.Work (Reading, Mass.)Municipal employees with self-rated exhaustion disorder reported higher quantitative and emotional demands, more conflicts, and less social support, resources, and time than those without. Both groups faced higher emotional demands and fewer resources than the national Swedish average.
• PTOTQualitative2023Exercise habits and perception of physical exercise among residents of an island in the Western Pacific Region.Journal of physical therapy scienceResidents of a Tongan island varied widely in exercise habits, with some already active through agricultural work while others remained inactive despite interest. Cultural factors like church leadership, heat, and a preference for free movement over strict rules strongly shaped whether people exercised.
• PTOTCase-Control2023Characteristics of falls and their fear in older adults requiring long-term care.Journal of physical therapy scienceOlder adults in daycare who had fallen showed less confidence crossing streets and performing daily tasks than non-fallers. Low confidence in crossing the street was specifically linked to a history of falls, suggesting outdoor mobility anxiety is a key marker in this group.
• PTOTPilot2023Adherence to a Web-based Exercise Programme: A Feasibility Study Among Patients with Hip or Knee Osteoarthritis.Journal of rehabilitation medicineHalf of the 29 patients with hip or knee osteoarthritis adhered to a 12-week web-based exercise programme during the pandemic. Sickness, not joint pain, was the most common barrier. Those who did not adhere were less active and fit at baseline.
• PTOTCohort2023Impairments of the ipsilesional upper-extremity in the first 6-months post-stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationRobot testing found significant arm impairment in nearly half of stroke survivors one week after stroke. By six months, this dropped to 14%. Standard clinical scales missed many of these deficits, identifying only 16% of patients as impaired. Side of brain injury did not affect impairment severity.
• OTOther2023Evaluation and Analysis of Elderly Mental Health Based on Artificial Intelligence.Occupational therapy internationalCommunity-dwelling older adults with depression showed lower symptom scores after three months of comprehensive psychological intervention combined with health education compared to health education alone. The study also identified risk factors for depression, including living alone and physical illness.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2023Workplace factors that promote and hinder work ability and return to work among individuals with long-term effects of COVID-19: A qualitative study.Work (Reading, Mass.)Workers with long-term effects of COVID-19 described flexible hours, adjusted tasks, and supportive managers as essential for staying in work. They also highlighted that colleagues silently watching out for them helped, while a lack of understanding about their fluctuating energy levels made return to work difficult.
• PTOTSLPCase Report2023Anodal Contralesional tDCS Enhances CST Excitability Bilaterally in an Adolescent with Hemiparetic Cerebral Palsy: A Brief Report.Developmental neurorehabilitationIn one adolescent with cerebral palsy, anodal tDCS to the contralesional hemisphere increased corticospinal tract excitability bilaterally for 30 minutes. This neurophysiologic change was not seen with sham stimulation. Clinical motor outcomes were not measured.
• PTOTSLPOther2023Development of expert consensus to guide physical rehabilitation in children and adolescents with acquired brain injury during the subacute phase.Journal of rehabilitation medicineExperts agreed physical rehab for children with brain injury must be family-centred and participation-focused, but could not agree on optimal dose. They set 'following simple commands' as the minimum cognitive bar for active participation, while leaving specific frequency and intensity decisions to clinical judgment.
• PTOTOther2023Observing the effect of physical activity on forward head posture and rounded shoulder posture in young healthy adults.Journal of physical therapy scienceHealthy young adults with low physical activity showed a more rounded shoulder posture than active peers. However, their forward head posture was no different. Regular screening for rounded shoulders may be warranted for sedentary young adults, but head posture seems unaffected by activity levels alone.
• OTNarrative Review2023Exploring safety culture research in the construction industry.Work (Reading, Mass.)This paper reviews safety culture concepts in construction. It contains no clinical research, patient data, or rehabilitation outcomes. There is nothing here to inform physical, occupational, or speech therapy practice.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Lifetime Prevalence of Psychiatric Disorders in Adolescents with Unexplained Weight Loss, Underweight, or Poor Appetite.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPAdolescents presenting with unexplained weight loss, underweight, or poor appetite had a 69.6% lifetime prevalence of any psychiatric disorder and a 21.3% prevalence of eating disorders. These symptoms should trigger comprehensive mental health screening and close follow-up, not just nutritional intervention.
• OTOther2023Development and psychometric evaluation of a theory-based questionnaire measuring women's return-to-work beliefs after long-term sick leave for common mental disorders.Work (Reading, Mass.)A new 60-item questionnaire measuring return-to-work beliefs in women with mental health disorders shows promise but has reliability gaps. The intention and attitude scales are solid, but scales for social pressure and personal control are weak. Do not use the full tool clinically yet.
• OTQualitative2023Acceptability of a Telerehabilitation Biofeedback System Among Stroke Survivors: A Qualitative Analysis.OTJR : occupation, participation and healthFour stroke survivors found home EMG biofeedback games acceptable when they could see and use small arm movement attempts, customize games and sensor placement, and get reliable support. Unpredictable sensors and technical failures were barriers.
• PTOTSLPCase-Control2023Recurrence quantification analysis of postural sway in patients with persistent postural perceptual dizziness.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPatients with persistent postural perceptual dizziness showed more predictable, rigid sway patterns than controls during quiet standing. Traditional measures of sway amount and variability found no differences between the groups.
• OTRCT2023Worker role perceptions and work participation among people with mental health issues taking part in interventions focusing on everyday life.Work (Reading, Mass.)Both activity-based occupational therapy interventions improved how capable participants felt for work, but neither changed their belief they could hold a job in the future. Satisfaction with non-work daily life and self-esteem drove these gains in work readiness.
• OTQualitative2023Experiences of Using Weighted Blankets among Children with ADHD and Sleeping Difficulties.Occupational therapy internationalChildren with ADHD and sleep problems described weighted blankets as helping them stay calm, feel safe, and fall asleep faster, but only if the weight, bed setup, and household routines fit their individual needs. Some found them painful, too hot, or too heavy, and a few preferred the lighter control blanket.
• OTQualitative2023Men's Lived Experiences of Breast Cancer and Changes in Occupation.Occupational therapy internationalMen with breast cancer described feeling marginalized by healthcare environments designed for women, experiencing stigma around masculinity, and losing engagement in daily occupations due to treatment side effects. Many found new meaning and identity through advocacy, transforming their diagnosis into a platform for raising awareness and supporting other men.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Genetic and environmental contributions to co-occurring physical health conditions in autism spectrum condition and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.Molecular autismChildren with autism or ADHD, even at subclinical levels, have higher odds of epilepsy, asthma and gut problems. Twin data show shared genetic factors drive most of these links. This suggests screening for physical health issues is warranted across the neurodevelopmental spectrum.
• OTOther2023Meaningful Activity, Psychosocial Wellbeing, and Poverty During COVID-19: A Longitudinal Study.Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapiePeople living in poverty reported that physical distancing restrictions made daily life harder and reduced meaningful activity. Depression and anxiety spiked in the autumn of 2020 but returned to baseline by the following spring. Alcohol use increased, though not to hazardous levels.
• PTOTRCT2023sEMG-controlled forearm bracelet and serious game-based rehabilitation for training manual dexterity in people with multiple sclerosis: a randomised controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationFor people with MS, adding MYO Armband games to conventional physical therapy did not improve the main gross manual dexterity outcome. Some wrist motion and grip strength differences appeared, but the Armband's separate effect cannot be separated.
• OTSystematic Review2023A scoping review of interventions using occupation to improve mental health or mental wellbeing in adolescent populations.The British journal of occupational therapyThe most common occupation or activity interventions for adolescent mental health were physical activity and relaxation, often delivered in schools, and were reported to have some benefits. Study quality was low, and none targeted choice or balance of everyday occupations.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2023Family Perspectives on In-Home Multimodal Longitudinal Data Collection for Children Who Function Across the Developmental Spectrum.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPFamilies want in-home data collection to be flexible, pausable during medical crises, and to include siblings. They value receiving their own data to understand their child's invisible symptoms. This feedback shapes how to design accessible research for complex needs.
• PTOTOther2023Validity, Reliability, and Efficiency of a Standard Goniometer, Medical Inclinometer, and Builder's Inclinometer.International journal of sports physical therapyDigital inclinometers measured shoulder and forearm range of motion faster and more reliably than a standard goniometer in healthy adults. A cheap builder's inclinometer performed similarly to a medical one, but clinicians must stick to one device type for tracking change.
• OTPilot2023A Telehealth Delivered Toilet Training Intervention for Children with Autism.OTJR : occupation, participation and healthFamilies completing all telehealth coaching by an occupational therapist, email check-ins, and online education reported child toileting gains. The intervention was rated acceptable, but no control group means cause cannot be confirmed.
• PTOTOther2023The impact of walking on the perception of multichannel electrotactile stimulation in individuals with lower-limb amputation and able-bodied participants.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationWalking reduces sensitivity to electrical feedback on the thigh in able-bodied people, requiring stronger or more spaced-out signals. In amputees, the effect varies wildly by person and socket fit, meaning calibration must happen while walking, not sitting.
• OTSLPCohort2023Working memory of school-aged children on the autism spectrum: Predictors for longitudinal growth.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceFor autistic children, learning behaviours and teacher closeness predicted working memory gains, but special education services did not. Higher socioeconomic status meant better starting scores, yet the gap never closed. Early support matters most, as later services failed to catch those behind.
• PTOTOther2023Evaluating Psychometric Properties of the International Knee Documentation Committee Subjective Knee Form in a Heterogeneous Sample of Post-Operative Patients.International journal of sports physical therapyTwo short versions of the knee function questionnaire (6 and 8 items) track patient recovery as reliably as the original 18-item form. They save time and work consistently across age and sex groups, allowing clinicians to measure true change after surgery.
• PTOTSLPRCT2023Effect of very early supported discharge versus usual care on activi-ties of daily living ability after mild stroke: a randomized controlled trial.Journal of rehabilitation medicineVery early supported discharge sped up recovery of complex daily tasks like shopping and transport. By three months, home-based teams helped patients with mild stroke do these tasks better than usual care, but the groups were equal by one year.
• OTSurvey2023Changes in Daily Occupations Patterns, Optimism, and Positive Affect During COVID-19 Lockdown.Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapieDuring a two-week lockdown, people spent more time on recreation, rest, and sleep than before. Women saw a larger increase in non-work activities than men. A small link was found between feeling good and doing recreational activities, but optimism did not correlate with daily occupation patterns.
• OTOther2023Refining the psychometric properties of the Trinity Student Occupational Performance Profile - A self-report measure of occupational performance difficulties within the student role.The British journal of occupational therapyThe refined Trinity Student Occupational Performance Profile is a 54-item self-report measure for university students. It reliably identifies specific occupational difficulties, helping therapists target interventions on high-demand areas like managing anxiety and time pressures.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2023The pursuit of intimacy: intimate relationship development for women with physical disabilities.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesSix women with physical disabilities described intimacy as central to well-being, not just sex. They faced stigma and physical barriers but found hope through shared values and communication. Caregiver roles often conflicted with romantic intimacy, creating distinct challenges for relationship development.
• OTCohort2023Examining Usability, Acceptability, and Adoption of a Self-Directed, Technology-Based Intervention for Upper Limb Rehabilitation After Stroke: Cohort Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesMost stroke survivors could use a self-directed gaming device, averaging 26 minutes of daily arm training. However, those with more severe strokes found it less acceptable. Usability and ease of use predicted actual daily use, while intent to use did not.
• OTSLPCohort2023Executive Functioning, Language, and Behavioral Abilities Related to Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Down Syndrome.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPYouth with Down syndrome and untreated sleep apnea showed significantly more emotional regulation and internalizing behavior challenges than those with treated or no apnea. No significant differences were found for language, attention, or overall social functioning scores, though untreated groups trended worse.
• OTOther2023Initial diagnostic impressions of trainees during autism evaluations: High specificity but low sensitivity.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchWhen trainees thought autism was present after five minutes, 86% were later diagnosed. When they thought autism was absent, 29% still had autism. Extremely confident trainee impressions matched the final diagnosis 96% of the time.
• OTSurvey2023Investigating the effect strength of positive risk-taking barriers on discharge decisions in occupational therapy intermediate care: A factorial survey.The British journal of occupational therapyOccupational therapists were less likely to recommend home discharge when they perceived limited patient capacity or lack of family support. Experienced therapists recommended discharge more often than novices. Blame culture only reduced discharge recommendations for semi-experts, not novices or experts.
• OTNarrative Review2023A working taxonomy for describing the sensory differences of autism.Molecular autismAutistic sensory issues are often described with vague terms like 'sensitivity', which mixes up brain responses, perception, body reactions, feelings, and behaviour. This review proposes a five-level taxonomy to separate these constructs, helping clinicians assess and communicate specific sensory differences accurately.
• OTQualitative2023Louisiana trucking companies' implementation of workplace health promotion programs: Explanatory sequential mixed method case study.Work (Reading, Mass.)Trucking company staff valued health programs but cited lack of time and resources as barriers. Drivers were seen as needing incentives to participate, while logistical complexity and competing safety priorities hindered implementation.